Pencillin-Streptomycin (Pen/Strep) is an antibacterial solution comprised of penicillin (10,000 units/mL), a beta-lactam, and streptomycin (10,000 ug/mL), an aminoglycoside in 0.9% NaCl.
Dr. Chung et al. used penicillin-streptomycin from TOKU-E in their RPMI 1640 medium to culture HT-29 colon cancer cells. Read more here: "Rab11 collaborates E-cadherin to promote collective cell migration and indicates a poor prognosis in colorectal carcinoma"
| Mechanism of Action | Penicillin, the beta lactam, breaks peptidoglycan links in non-resistant cell walls and triggers autolysins which kill the cell. Streptomycin, the aminoglycoside, binds to the ribosomes and inhibits protein synthesis. |
| Spectrum | Penicillin-streptomycin solution targets the cell wall of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. |
| Eukaryotic Cell Culture Applications | Penicillin-streptomycin solution is routinely used in eukaryotic cell culture applications to prevent or control contamination caused by Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. Penicillin-streptomycin solution should be used at a concentration of 50-100 Units/mL penicillin and 50-100 µg/mL streptomycin.penicillin in cell culture media. |
| References | Guzmán, F (2008) Beta Lactams Antibiotics (penicillins and Cephalosporins) Mechanism of Action.” Med. Pharmacol. Pharmacology Corner, De Britto AJ, Gracelin DHS and Kumar PBJR (2012) Pteris biaurita L.: A potential antibacterial fern against Xanthomonas and Aeromonas bacteria. J. Pharm. Res. 5(1):678-680 Pitout JD, Sanders CC, Sanders WE (1997) Antimicrobial resistance with focus on beta-lactam resistance in gram-negative bacilli. Am J Med 103 Svensson L, Finlay BB, Bass D, Von Bonsdorff H, Greenberg HB (1991) Symmetric infection of rotavirus on polarized human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells. J. VIrol. 65(8):4190-4197 |
